Around the World – May 2006

A round-up of news from Europe, Africa abd Australasia

 
EUROPE

UK
Scottish & Newcastle is paying tribute to Alan Shearer with a limited-edition label of its Newcastle Brown Ale. The Newcastle United football player’s label will be the first time a celebrity has appeared on the famous bottle, commemorating his achievements for both his club and his country.
  The label has been timed to coincide with Shearer’s sold-out testimonial match against Celtic this month. Proceeds from the match are being donated to a number of charities.
  The black-and-white commemorative bottles will be available only in selected on-trade venues.
  Chris Jowsey, managing director of Newcastle Federation Breweries, explained that, “both Newcastle Brown Ale and Alan Shearer are icons of Geordie culture”.

  
Portugal
A prominent Portuguese wine producer has changed from cork closures to screwcaps.
  This is a significant move, given that the producer in question, Quinta do Côtto, is from the world’s biggest cork-producing country. Vineyard owner Miguel Champalimaud cited financial reasons for the change. Reuters quoted him as saying, “Today a cork is more expensive than a litre of wine. We have become cork salesmen instead of wine sellers.”
  Concerns were raised by Portuguese wine critic João Paulo Martins that other Portuguese producers could follow suit.

  
Russia

The recent ban on wine (including brandies and sparkling wine) from Georgia and Moldova in Russia is thought to be politically motivated. The official reason is that the wine from these countries does not meet Russia’s health and safety regulations. Russian official, Gennady Onishchenko claimed that traces of potentially dangerous pesticides had been discovered in the wine.
  Relations between the two ex-Soviet states and Russia have been strained lately. Some believe that the wine blockade is a reaction to Georgia and Moldova’s opposition to Russia’s entry into the World Trade Organization.
  According to Georgian newspaper The Messenger, alcohol is Georgia’s second-largest export item after scrap-iron, and about 70% of all wine exported from Georgia this year was sold in Russia.

  
France
Georges Duboeuf, the “king of Beaujolais” and the man largely responsible for Beaujolais Nouveau, went on trial last
month on charges of tampering with wine.
  Duboeuf is accused of tampering with 300,000 bottles after a variable vintage in 2004. The charge against him and his firm is “fraud and attempted fraud concerning the origin and quality of wines”.
  It is believed that wines were blended and labelled in a way that is illegal according to France’s Appellation Contrôlée system. Appearing in a court in the French town of Villefranche-sur-Saône, 72-year-old Duboeuf claimed that the incorrect blending was a mistake, and that the wine did not go on sale.
  If he is found guilty, the penalty may be the equivalent of £130,000, as well as a possible prison sentence for one of Duboeuf’s former production managers.

  
Germany
Budweiser will not be allowed to use its brand name in signage at this year’s Football World Cup to be held in Germany.
Anheuser-Busch has paid the same as the other 14 official sponsors of the World Cup (apparently US$40 million), but
a trademark dispute with Czech beer Budweiser Budvar prevents its use of the Budweiser trademark in Germany.
  When the World Cup kicks off in June, the sponsor will advertise as Anheuser-Busch Bud.
  Even the use of the “Bud” trademark has come at a price – Anheuser-Busch has had to give up its monopoly on beer sales at World Cup matches. Concerns were raised that “Bud” was too close to “Bit”, the name of German brewer Bitburger’s beer. The two will now both be sold at the 12 tournament venues. This has also placated German beer drinkers, who had earlier complained about not being given any choice at World Cup matches.
  Anheuser-Busch remains confident, however, and will still “activate strong World Cup marketing programmes”, according to Tony Ponturo, Anheuser-Busch’s vice president of global media and sports marketing.
  Other sponsors for the World Cup include Coca-Cola and McDonald’s.

AFRICA

Mauritania
According to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), camel milk is an industry with huge potential.

The FAO recently reported on the benefits of the product, both in terms of feeding people in arid regions and providing a much-needed income for nomadic herders.
  The organisation listed a number of problems facing the industry, such as the inability to use UHT treatment on the milk and the fact that the herders are nomadic, making commercial production difficult.
  However, the FAO also highlighted the success story of Nancy Abeiderahmanne, who has been operating
a camel dairy in Mauritania for more than 15 years.

AUSTRALASIA

Australia
Jack White’s jingle for Coca-Cola was broadcast in Australia in April.  White, singer for The White Stripes and The Raconteurs, has written and performed the music to accompany Coke’s new television advert, which made its debut during the MTV Australia Video Music Awards. It was quickly made available online.
  The minute-long advert features jerky stop-motion style animation and a song about love. White claims to have been inspired by the advert.
  In 1971, Coca-Cola experienced great success with the advertising jingle I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing, sung by The New Seekers.
  At the time of going to press, it was still unclear whether the advert would be shown only in Australia, or
if it formed part of Coca-Cola’s new global advertising campaign.

db  May 2006